Hercule Poirot's Casebook

Mrs Gold looked once more along the beach. Then she said:

'The sea really is lovely - so blue. I think we ought to go in

now, don't you, Douglas?'

He was still watching Valentine Chantry and took a minute

or two to answer. Then he said, rather absently:

'Go in? Oh, yes, rather, in a minute.'

Marjorie Gold got up and strolled down to the water's edge.

Valentine Chantry rolled over a little on one side. Her eyes

looked along at Douglas Gold. Her scarlet mouth curved

faintly into a smile.

The neck of Mr Douglas Gold became slightly red.

Valentine Chantry said:

'Tony darling - would you mind? I want a little pot of face-cream

- it's up on the dressing-table. I meant to bring it down.

Do get it for me - there's an angel.'

The commander rose obediently. He stalked off into the

hotel.

Marjorie Gold plunged into the sea, calling out:

'It's lovely, Douglas - so warm. Do come.'

Pamela Lyall said to him:

'Aren't you going in?'

He answered vaguely:

'Oh! I like to get well hot-ted up first.'

Valentine Chantry stirred. Her head was lifted for a moment

as though to recall her husband - but he was just passing inside

the wall of the hotel garden.

'I like my dip the last thing,' explained Mr Gold.

Mrs Chantry sat up again. She picked up a flask of sun-bathing

oil. She had some difficulty with it - the screw top

seemed to resist her efforts.

She spoke loudly and petulantly.

'Oh, dear - I can't get this thing undone!'

121

She looked towards the other group 'I

wonder '

Always gallant, Poirot rose to his feet, but Douglas Gold had

the advantage of youth and suppleness. He was by her side in

a moment.

'Can I do it for you?'

'Oh, thank you -' It was the sweet, empty drawl again.

'You are kind. I'm such a fool at undoing things - I always

seem to screw themthe wrong way. Oh! you've done it! Thank

you ever so much -'

Hercule Poirot smiled to himself.

He got up and wandered along the beach in the opposite

direction. He did not go very far but his progress was leisurely.

As he was on his way back, Mrs Gold came out of the sea and

joined him. She had been swimming. Her face, under a

singularly unbecoming bathing cap, was radiant.

She said breathlessly, 'I do love the sea. And it's so warm and

love. ly here.'

She was, he perceived, an enthusiastic bather.

She said, 'Douglas and I are simply mad on bathing, tie can

stay in for hours.'

And at that liercule Poirot's eyes slid over her shoulder to

the spot on the beach where that enthusiastic bather, Mr

Douglas Gold, was sitting talking to Valentine Chantry.

His wife said:

'I can't think why he doesn't come ...'

Her voice held a kind of childish bewilderment.

Poirot's eyes rested thoughtfully on Valentine Chantry. He

thought that other women in their time had made that same

remark.

Beside him, he heard Mrs Gold draw in her breath sharply.

She said - and her voice was cold:

'She's supposed to be very attractive, I believe. But Douglas

doesn't like that type of woman.'

Hercule Poirot did not reply.

Mrs Gold plunged into the sea again.

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She swam away from the shore with slow, steady strokes.

You could see that she loved the water.

Poirot retraced his steps to the group on the beach.

It had been augmented by the arrival of old General Barnes,

a veteran who was usually in the company of the young. He was

sitting now between Pamela and Sarah, and he and Pamela

were engaged in dishing up various scandals with appropriate

embellishments.

Commander Chantry had returned from his errand. He and

Douglas Gold were sitting on either side of Valentine.

Valentine was sitting up very straight between the two men

and talking. She talked easily and lightly in her sweet, drawling

voice, turning her head to take first one man and then the other

in the conversation.

She was just finishing an anecdote.

'- and what do you think the foolish man said? "It may have

been only a minut, e, but I'd remember you anywhere, Mum!"

Didn't he, Tony? And you know, I thought it was so sweet of

him. I do think it's such a kind world - I mean, everybody is so

frightfully kind to me always - I don't know why - they just are.

But I said to Tony - d'you remember, darling - "Tony, if you

want to be a teeny-weeny bit jealous, you can be jealous of that

commissionaire." Because he really was too adorable...'

There was a pause and Douglas Gold said:

'Good fellows - some of these commissionaires.'

'Oh, yes - but he took such trouble - really an immense

amount of trouble - and seemed just pleased to be able to help

me.'

Douglas Gold said:

'Nothing odd about that. Anyone would for you, I'm sure.'

She cried delightedly:

'How nice of you! Tony, did you hear that?'

Commander Chantry grunted.

His wife sighed:

'Tony never makes pretty speeches - do you, my lamb?'

Her white hand with its long red nails ruffled up his dark

head.

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He gave her a sudden sidelong look. She murmured:

'I don't really know how he puts up with me. He's simply

frightfully clever - absolutely frantic with brains - and I just go

on talking nonsense the whole time, but he doesn't seem to

mind. Nobody minds what I do or say - everybody spoils me.